AHV network (Configuration)

After completing this module, you will be able to:

• Identify the networking terminology for AHV, VMware, and Hyper-V.
• Discuss the default network configuration.
• Understand key networking components - OVS, bridges, ports, and bonds.
• Describe the use of Open vSwitch (OVS) in Acropolis.
• Differentiate supported OVS bond modes.
• Create and explain managed and unmanaged Acropolis networks.
• Understand network segmentation.

AHV Networking Terminology Comparison

AHV Term	VMware Term	Microsoft Hyper-V or SCVMM Term
Bridge	vSwitch, distributed virtual switch	Virtual switch, logical switch
Bond	NIC Team	Team or uplink port profile
Port	Port	N/A
Network	Port group	VLAN tag or logical network
Uplink	Physical NIC or VMNIC	Physical NIC or pNIC
VM NIC	VNIC	VM NIC
Internal port	VMkernel port	Virtual NIC
Active-Backup	Active/standby	Active/standby
Balance-slb	Route based on source MAC hash combined with route based on physical NIC load	Switch-independent/dynamic
LACP with balance-tcp	LACP and route based on IP hash	Switch-dependent (LCAP)/address hash

Default Network Configuration

The following diagram illustrates the networking configuration of a single host. If you have a node with a mix of 10 GB and 1GB NICs, the best practice is to use only the 10 GB NICs. Disconnect the 1 GB NICs if you do not need them, or put them in a separate bond for use in non-critical networks.

Connections from the server to the physical switch use 10 GbE or higher interfaces. You can establish connections between the switches with 40 GbE or faster direct links, or through a leaf-spine network topology (not shown). The IPMI management interface of the Nutanix node also connects to the out-of-band management network, which may connect to the production network, but it is not mandatory. Each node always has a single connection to the management network, but we have omitted this element from further images in this document for clarity and simplicity.

For more information, see the Physical Networking Guide on the Nutanix Support Portal.